MFL

We believe that to embed Spanish learning, we should help the children to do all of the following:

• familiarise themselves with the sounds and written form of Spanish;
• begin to understand a new language, and communicate in it;
• make comparisons and links between their study of vocabulary, grammatical structures and cultures;
• learn about the Hispanic and Latin American world;
• develop a positive attitude towards the learning of foreign languages;
• use their knowledge of the foreign language with growing confidence, both to understand what they hear and read, and to express themselves through a balance of speaking and writing;
• acquire, through all of the above, a sound linguistic foundation for further study at Key Stage 3 and beyond.

We recognise that language learning in its broadest sense has three core strands – oracy, literacy and intercultural understanding.  We base the teaching of languages on the guidance material in the National Curriculum (please see below).

‘Learning a foreign language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language. Language teaching should provide the foundation for learning further languages, equipping pupils to study and work in other countries.’  National Curriculum Languages (2014)

In Key Stages 1 and 2

Children will:

• listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding
• explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words
• engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help
• speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures
• develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases
• present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences*
• read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing
• appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language
• broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary
• write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly
• describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing
• understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English

Please click here to see the Long Term Curriculum map for Spanish (Years 3 - 6)